Table Mountain Fire: Aftermath Story and Photo Links

Cape Town’s firefighters, helicopter pilots and other emergency service men and women battled through the night to quell blazes in the mountains above several parts of the city. Capetonians today work and breathe in a dismal haze.

Damage was limited to one death and several partially-burnt houses in the upper-city-bowl suburb of Higgovale – an awful toll, but given the scope of the fire lines (kilometers long at the four main sites) and the power of yesterday’s winds, it could have been much worse. The prevailing theory on the fire’s origin is a tossed cigarette butt – a British man has been arrested in this connection.

To see SA Blog’s coverage of the fire – including photos from various parts of the city – click on the Table Mountain Fire tag.

Meanwhile, Duncan has posted excellent city-bowl pics, including some spectacular helicopter shots, on his website: click here.

Here are links for other stories and photos in today’s SA media (which, to be frank, hasn’t followed-up particularly well):

• Cape Times – front page story from Cape Town’s English-language newspaper.
• News24.com – photo gallery.
• Mail & Guardian – online coverage.
• 567 Cape Talk – photo gallery.
• iAfrica.com – news on arrested man | photo gallery